Imo youths destroy cultists’ homes, hand 4 suspects to Police

OWERRI—Youths of Irete autonomous community, Owerri, Imo State, yesterday, destroyed the family homes of two suspected cultists and handed over four others to the Police for investigation and prosecution.

Confirming this to Vanguard yesterday, the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe, said they have zero tolerance for cultism, lawlessness and all manner of crime.

He said: “The destruction of their ho

mes is in line with the resolutions reached July 1 by leaders of thought, women leaders, youth leaders, chairmen and secretaries of villages, village heads and heads of traditional institutions.”

He was particularly disturbed by “the deteriorating state of affairs and the rising level of crimes,” stressing that “the recent introduction of kidnapping in our community, engineered our taking far-reaching decisions on crime and criminality.”

He recalled that one of the cultists imported his members from neighbouring Amakohia Ubi community.

He added: “This is an act we abhor. Apart from the importation, the cultists inflicted severe injury on another fellow.”